THE BALLOON MAN

Circus relocating to Albuquerque


 

from: KOAT.COM
ALBUQUERQUE,N.M. - The elephants and acrobats with the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus aren't coming to Rio Rancho anymore. Instead, they're taking their tricks to Tingley Coliseum.

Action 7 News was the first to tell you about the circus conundrum.

The "Greatest Show On Earth" was slated for shows at Rio Rancho's Santa Ana Star Center this June. But Rio Rancho Mayor Tom Swisstack said lawyers realized the circus has USDA violations within the past five years, so the show was off.

"Unless you deal with the ordinance every day, you're not going to know what's in there," Swisstack said.

Swisstack said an emergency conference call Friday morning resulted in the decision not to cancel the show entirely, but to move it to the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque. The dates and times will remain the same, and all tickets purchased will be honored.

Those who purchased tickets can get a refund from the Santa Ana Star Center.

Circus-goers may be happy the show is still on, but it's safe to say those involved with the event in Rio Rancho are not.

The city estimated tens of thousands of dollars were going to pour into the area from this event. Now that money will go to Albuquerque.

"Providers will probably lose some money, but the other side of the coin is that we'll have other shows and they'll make that up," Swisstack said.